Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 05.djvu/292

LEFT JAPAN 236 JAPAN Church. Buddhism is still the dominant religion among the people. Full tolera- tion is extended to all forms of religious belief, in so far as they do not conflict with the p.eace and order of the commu- nity. Francis Xavier introduced Chris- tianity in 1549, but his work was extin- guished in blood, till scarcely a trace of it was left. Of the Protestant missions SHINTO PRIEST, JAPAN the Presbyterians, five sects working to- gether, and the American Congregation- alists are the most flourishing. The American and Canadian Methodists, the Baptists, Episcopalians, and others are also actively at work. Manufactures. — The latest industrial census was made in 1917. There were 20,966 factories employing more than 10 hands each. The total number of em- ployees was 1,280,964. The chief manu- factures were woven goods, silk goods, woolen goods, Japan paper, European paper, matches, earthenware, matting, oil, knitting products, etc. There were 9 sugar factories in 1918. The products were valued at 75,935,000 yen. Commerce.— The total imports in 1917 were valued at £217,331,933, and the ex- ports at £209,887,261. The chief im- ports were from the United States, British India, China, and Great Britain. The chief exports were to the United States, China, Great Britain, British In- dia, and France. The chief imports in 1919 were raw cotton, 667,866,651 yen; rice, 162,220,404 yen; iron bar, vnrought plates, etc., 156,579,108 yen. Other im- ports of importance were sugar, beans and peas, wool, machinery, coal, flax and hemp. The chief exports were raw silk, 623,919,491 yen; cotton tissues, 280,061,- 883 yen; silk manufactures, 101,539,277 yen. Other exports of importance were cotton yarn, coal, matches, earthenware, refined sugar. History. — The reputed founder of the present dynasty was Jimmu Tenno, who ascended the throne in 660 B. c. The legendary epoch continues for more than 1,000 years, and all Japanese history be- fore A. D. 500 is to be classed as legend- ary. In A. D. 201 the Empress Jing5 is said to have invaded and conquered Korea, and this expedition was followed by the introduction of Korean civiliza- tion, the sacred Chinese books "Kongo" and "Senjimon" arriving from Korea in 285, In 552 Buddhism was introduced from Korea, and became 40 years later, the established religion. In 624 a Bud- dhist hierarchy was established by gov- ernment. Shortly before this direct re- lations had been entered upon with China, and Chinese civilization was thereafter rapidly assimilated. At one time (1333-1392) two puppet-dynasties held sway, the North and the South, to one or the other of which the feudal barons rallied. The shogunate, made powerful by Yoritomo, itself fell into abeyance, but the military genius and astute policy of Hideyoshi, who died in 1598, prepared the way for its revival in 1603 by Tokugawa lyeyasu, the illustri- ous general and statesman who gave a lasting peace to Japan. The Portuguese, who first landed m Japan in the year 1543, carried on a lucrative trade; but by-and-by the ruling powers took alarm, and ordered away all foreigners, and in- terdicted Christianity (1624), believing that foreigners impoverished the country, while their religion struck at the root of the political and religious systems of Japan. The Portuguese continued to frequent Japan till 1638, when they and their religion were finally expelled. From this date the Japanese government maintained the most rigid policy of isola- tion, till 1853, when they were rudely awakened from their dream of peace and security by Commodore Perry steaming into the harbor of Uraga with a squad-